NMMU successfully upgrade to the ITS Integrator 3 product developed by Adapt IT
Following a successful Beta test of the new ITS Integrator Release 3, the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) has now gone live with this latest version after upgrading from ITS Integrator Release 1.
The NMMU went through a formal and comprehensive testing process over a period of months, prior to going live, including the testing of functionality not currently part of their business process. Each business unit within the university had its own test plan for the solution and each business unit was thus also responsible for testing and reporting of faults to Adapt IT. These faults were resolved as quickly as possible by Adapt IT.
According to Frans Pelser, Manager: ITS Integrator Development at Adapt IT, NMMU was chosen as the client for the Beta release testing as the institution has extensive experience in the use of the various existing ITS Integrator modules.
He explains that the ITS Integrator product suite has been designed to meet the administration needs of higher- and further educational institutions, and that it offers a rich set of functionality to enable back-office and front-office administrative operations, as well as self-service functions for students and staff alike.
“The self-service functionality includes modules for students, to assist them in handling administrative enquiries as well as selected administrative processes such as registration, and staff of the institution – handling financial and human resources-related enquiries and processes,” says Pelser.
The new release allowed the NMMU to replace local modifications and additions to the Integrator system with functionality from the standard ITS Integrator system as part of their business processes, thus reducing the maintenance cost associated with customisation.
“The main areas of improvement are: new functionality to automate processes that previously required manual intervention and record keeping outside the system; a new self-service functionality with the associated workflow routing; a redesigned and improved functionality to ease the administrative burden, add flexibility and give system administrators better control over end-user actions; additional functionality to communicate directly from the ITS Integrator system through e-mail to students and staff; more interactive reporting in various areas; and general usability improvements.”
Pelser adds that the successful completion of this project should demonstrate to other ITS Integrator clients that Release 3 is ready for general use. He encourages them all to upgrade in order be able to take advantage of the new functionality and features in the product.
Greg Saunders, Deputy Director: NMMU ICT Services says, “Integrator 3 offers Web-based features that allows for the online appointment of staff, as well as the submission of online claims. Furthermore, it has provided us with better financial restrictions and an improved interface for the submission and query of requisitions. It has also improved the online registration of students.”
“Ultimately, NMMU had a generally positive experience when implementing the software and the Beta site allowed Adapt IT and the university to work together and build a system that I believe will benefit the higher education sector as a whole,” concludes Saunders.
